Alternate Rules
New Skill: Feng Shui (Wisdom) Feng Shui means “wind and water”. This skill can be used to reduce stress, recover more quickly from injuries, cultivate ch’i energy, gain luck, intuit direction, sense unseen and unharmonious forces, and become more resilient against ill fortune. To use this skill the character must come to understand how the flow of energies, like ch’i or joss (luck), work and move through an environment. He determines the best place to rest or meditate, the best colors to wear, what numbers are the most fortunate, and how best to be harmonious to the flow of local energies. This skill may be used like Survival to intuit direction. The list below summarizes tasks that can be accomplished from applying feng shui to rest: Only one of these tasks may be accomplished per period of rest. *This skill can benefit others besides the character with the skill. *Add +2 to the DC per each extra character the benefit will apply to. If result is failure, but the character would succeeded in using the skill at the original DC before adding to it for extra characters, then the check succeeds only for the skill user. *Likewise, if it would benefit some, but not all extra characters, then that number of characters may benefit from the character’s Feng Shui. For example, if the DC to gain a +1 luck bonus for you and 3 allies is 24, but you only roll a 21, you may still benefit two allies with this skill and yourself. Retry: No.The character will not know if his Feng Shui check was successful until after resting. Signs of the Qin Zodiac (traits) The Shēngxiào, literally "birth likeness", is also known in English as the Chinese zodiac. This zodiac derives from the similar concept in western astrology and means "circle of animals". The Chinese zodiac is a scheme and systematic plan of future action that relates each year to an animal and its reputed attributes according to a 12-year cycle, and it remains popular in several East Asian countries including China, Vietnam, Korea and Japan. On the world of Lemuria in the Orient, however, the Shēngxiào is popular in Qin, the Land of Cherry Blossoms, and the Eastern Islands as well as the Kingdom of Dragons. It is also popular on the island of the Wayangs. According to Astrology, a person is influenced by the sign he is born under. Mainly this refers to the year. however, the elemental sign could be the primary influence rather than the traditional animal sign. Below are lists of the signs that can have an influence, both positive and negative, upon a character. This is an optional rule to encourage roleplaying with a game mechanic. It has a real bearing on the character’s personality and on how the character can influence or be influenced by circumstances in play. Use it to help define the character. Choose just one zodiac attribute below. Players who do not wish to have a zodiac attribute need not select one. The zodiac traditionally begins with the sign of the Rat. The following are the twelve zodiac signs (each with its associated Earthly Branch) in order and their characteristics.[1] #'Rat' – 鼠 (子) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Water) #'Ox' – 牛 (丑) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Water) #'Tiger' – 虎 (寅) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Wood) #'Rabbit' – 兔 or 兎 (卯) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Wood) #'Dragon' – 龍 / 龙 (辰) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Wood) #'Snake' – 蛇 (巳) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Fire) #'Horse' – 馬 / 马 (午) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Fire) #'Goat' – 羊 (未) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Fire) #'Monkey' – 猴 (申) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Metal) #'Rooster' – 雞 / 鸡 (酉) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Metal) #'Dog' – 狗 / 犬 (戌) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Metal) #'Pig' – 豬 / 猪 (亥) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Water) Zodiac Bonus: When the character encounters this particular circumstance or situation, he gains a short-term benefit or bonus. Zodiac Penalty: When the character encounters this particular circumstance or situation, he suffers this complication or short term negative effect. As a general rule, the DM should apply a -4 to -8 penalty. Animal Signs *Boar (pig) *Dog *Dragon *Goat *Horse *Monkey *Ox *Rat *Rabbit *Rooster *Snake *Tiger Elemental Signs *Earth *Fire *Metal *Water *Wood Sex Signs *Yang *Yin OGL Section 15 -- Copyright Notice Heroes of the Jade Oath. Copyright 2011 Frank Car, All rights reserved, Author Frank Carr Category:Player's Guide Category:Alternate Rules